Are MTV's Music Channels Shutting Down? Everything To Know About The Year-End Change

MTV, the channel that once played music videos all day and night, has reached the end of an era. After decades of 24-hour music broadcasting, several of its music-only channels went silent at the end of 2025, marking a big change for the famous network, reported People.com.

On December 31, 2025, MTV ceased broadcasting several of its specialty music channels. This move marks the end of decades of continuous music programming. According to Rolling Stone, MTV first announced this decision in October.

MTV launched in the United States on August 1, 1981. The channel's first music video was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles. This video aired for the last time on the MTV music channel on December 31.

Former MTV DJ Daisy Fuentes commented on the change in October 2025. She said the decision was a bit sad, but that this feeling had been there for a long time. 

She explained that MTV had a special era and history that will never return. According to Fuentes, change is necessary, and everyone has to adapt with the times. 

Even with the closure of these channels, MTV isn't completely disappearing. The network has only discontinued some of its music-focused channels at the end of 2025.

MTV's main channel will continue to run as usual, including popular shows like "The Challenge" and "RuPaul's Drag Race". According to Variety, MTV ranked 49th among cable networks in 2025, ahead of Comedy Central.

The channels that have been discontinued include MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live. These channels closed in several countries on December 31st. According to the BBC, the impact was felt in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Australia, and Brazil.

Each channel aired a different music video in its final moments. MTV Music played "Video Killed the Radio Star," while MTV 90s concluded with the Spice Girls' song "Goodbye."

Now, when viewing these channels, viewers see a rotating image of the channel's logo. A message also appears on the screen, stating that MTV content is still available on the main channel, MTV HD.

According to Rolling Stone, MTV and its parent company, Paramount, have not publicly disclosed the reasoning behind the closure of these music channels.

This is not the first time MTV has reduced its programming. Earlier this year, the network canceled several awards shows, including the MTV Europe Music Awards and MTV Latin America's MIAAW Awards. According to the Associated Press, these decisions were part of cost-cutting efforts during the $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance, which is set to close in August 2025.

In addition, MTV discontinued MTV News after 36 years in May 2023. At the time, Chris McCarthy, president of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks, stated that the move was due to broader economic pressures.